Take a close look below at the model wearing the 3532 number plate – the front fascia has less wrap and is decidedly more aggressive, and the rear fascia wears extra vents on the corners. The exhaust cutouts are now different as well, adopting a more trapezoid shape. Compare that to the prototype with the 3489 number plate – the front fascia is far less dynamic and the rear also wears the familiar oval dual exhaust outlets without the vents.

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The camo wrap hasn’t diminished since the last time we caught the new 3 Series in action, but the new cutouts on the rear bumper suggest we could be seeing final production components in place. And that means we could be getting closer to a full-on reveal, though we’re still hearing that the Paris Motor Show in October is when the covers will likely be lifted. When that happens, expect to see a car with better refinement, tasteful styling, and a range of engines from 136 horsepower (101 kilowatts) to 380 hp (283 kW), burning both gasoline and diesel.

The BMW 3 Series has long set the standard for athletic-yet-elegant sedans, but these days Audi and Mercedes-Benz offer extremely good competition for the iconic model. Our insiders in the industry say that BMW is keen to set this new 3 Series apart not through eye-catching bling like big wheels or ultra-engineered LED headlights, but by less tangible factors such as substance and character. We admit to being a bit underwhelmed with the current 3 Series, but with the next generation benefitting from BMW’s CLAR architecture, there’s hope the sedan could reclaim some of its former glory.